The Story Behind the Murder of Adamawa Top Cop

The gruesome daylight cold blooded murder of foremost crime buster and leader of Adamawa State Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), ASP Mohammed Ali, is a poignant reminder to the fact that security in the state is passing through turbulent times. There is no gainsaying that the slain cop wields a larger than life comportment in Adamawa State due to the strategic position he occupies in the society occasioned by the job which destiny has thrust at him as the leader of the Special Anti Robbery Squad; a job which naturally set him on collision course with hardened criminals across the length and breadth of Adamawa State.

Before the high profile murder, crime rate in the state seemed to have crested to unprecedented levels with armed bandits striking at will in what observers summarized as a siege on the state by men of the underworld. But despite the escalation of crime and the palpable siege of criminals on the state, no one in his wildest imagination ever thought that the criminals will have the effrontery to engage the foremost crime fighter in a daylight duel not only due to his exuberant and gangling demeanor but also his overbearing influence in political, social and security circles in Adamawa State, let alone contemplate killing him. But as it is, the deed has been done and the rest is now history as they say. But despite that, the stark reality of our misfortune and social drift is not lost on every discerning citizen of the state.

The murder of ASP Mohammed Ali is a reality that has dawned on every discerning citizen of Adamawa State that security wise, the state is hanging on the precipice. This is what informed the total apprehension in the state which made the high profile murder a topical issue and subject of discussion across board in the entire state.

This medium scooped from sources close to the slain cop that before his death, ASP Mohammed Ali has waged a sustained battle against hardened criminals who allegedly fell into his booby trap. It was revealed to this medium that the hard posture of Mohammed Ali to ensure that all cases in his hands are prosecuted to the latter, despite threats and sometimes monetary inducements, were what further irked the criminals to feel that the slain cop has become a thorn in their flesh and must be rid of. It was further revealed to this medium that some of the criminals have promised to checkmate ASP Mohammed and pay him back in his own coins since he remained adamant in helping them to carry out their nefarious activities unhindered.

Few days to his murder, the slain cop revealed to a close friend that he received text messages threatening his life as a result of which he took proactive measures to strengthen security around himself. However, on the fateful day he was murdered, being a Friday, he somewhat relaxed the security. It was revealed that he was at his office on Friday in the morning, before he set out to a popular market in the heart of the town called “shopping complex” to get his faulty handset fixed from where he drove to a car selling outlet to meet a friend. While at the car selling stand, he engaged his friend in a mutual conversation when from nowhere; a young man appeared and enquired for Mohammed Ali from the duo. Mohammed Ali confidently revealed his identity to the Stranger obviously oblivious of the ominous danger that awaits him. No sooner than Mohammed Ali revealed his identity, than the intruder fired a shot at him. As Mohammed struggles to locate his pistol, the intruder fired at his hand, neck and waist further incapacitating him. At this point, another member of the gang apparently the ring leader examined the recumbent body of Mohammed Ali and nodded a sign of satisfaction and beckoned on the killer to move. As they set to leave, another member of the group who was seemingly keeping a tab on the operation from the other end of the ever busy Atiku Abubakar way, fired shots in the air to scare away people from the scene of the crime. As people scamper for safety, the three attackers rode their motorcycle and flee the scene of the crime. When they reached target junction, they abandoned the motorcycle and took a car which they used to escape. The body of the slain cop was later rushed to the Federal Medical Center Yola where it was confirmed dead on arrival. The body was since buried according to Islamic rites.